


Erised Backwards Doesn't Hurt Less

by This_Time_I_Wont_Regret_My_Username



Series: A Collection of One-Shots for THC [19]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Crying, Draco Is Starved For Affection, Draco/Harry If You Really Really Want It To Be, I Wrote It With Drarry In Mind, Lucius Is Terrible, More Like Sobbing, first year, so is Harry, the mirror of erised - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-06
Updated: 2018-01-06
Packaged: 2019-03-01 03:56:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 452
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13286478
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/This_Time_I_Wont_Regret_My_Username/pseuds/This_Time_I_Wont_Regret_My_Username
Summary: Lucius's words echo through Draco's head, and he can't sleep. He wanders all over the Castle, letting himself be taken anywhere and everywhere before he stumbles across the Mirror of Erised. He never knew that seeing his father's approval would make him hurt so much.





	Erised Backwards Doesn't Hurt Less

Draco couldn't sleep. He had been staring at the ceiling for the past hour, his eyes refusing to close. After another fifteen minutes, Draco sighed and sat up, deeming his quest for sleep pointless; he obviously wasn't going to get any sleep. His father's latest letter left him feeling angry and upset.

He pushed the covers back from his bed, glancing around at the other first years in the room. No one stirred when Draco stepped lightly out of bed and put on his slippers. He was just learning how to cast a warming charm, and the floors were freezing.

He lit his wand with a whispered _lumos_ before silently creeping out of the dorm room and the common room. He walked along the halls, clad in his silk silver and green pajamas.

He shivered, drawing his arms around him. He didn't have a destination in mind, but just walked, letting Hogwarts take him where she would.

Forty-five minutes, seven moving staircases, three wrong turns that led to Moaning Myrtle's bathroom and a close call with Filch later, Draco came to a door. There was nothing special about it, but he could hear quiet sobs echoing from the other side.

Draco hesitantly stepped forward and pushed the door open, and thankfully it didn't creak.

He went inside the room, where a large mirror stood in the center. The cries were louder, but Draco didn't see anything.

"Hello?" His voice echoed into the moonlit room and the weeping stopped immediately. He warily observed his surroundings. A flash in the mirror caught his attention.

He walked up to it, hearing a scuffling to his left, but he was too distracted by what he saw in the mirror.

It was him, standing with his father. Lucius had his hand rested proudly on Draco's shoulder. Narcissa stood beside the pair, smiling lovingly down at Draco. He was older, wearing a prefect badge and holding the Quidditch Cup, smirking.

Draco knelt before the mirror, at a loss for words. He gaped, his father's words echoing in his head.

_You were only ever a Malfoy in blood._

_You disappoint me._

_You are a disgrace._

_I can't stand to look at you._

_Were you even thinking?_

Draco felt the tears start to fall. He brought up his hand and touched the prefect badge on mirror-Draco's robes.

"I'm so sorry, Father," Draco whispered thickly.

He looked up to read the words "Erised stra ehru oyt ube cafru oyt on wohsi." He stared blankly for a second before realizing, _Erised is desire spelled backwards. Of course._ It didn't make it hurt any less, though.

He didn't notice the person next to him, hidden under an invisibility cloak, start to cry again.

**Author's Note:**

> Ah, yes, the time when I realized how Harry and Draco are two sides of the same coin, which led to my obsession with Drarry. There's nothing wrong with it, of course. I wouldn't have it any other way.  
> The prompt was "Mirror of Erised [object]."  
> Aren't we having fun hating Lucius lately? I dunno what was up with me when I wrote this. I generally don't like writing Lucius as a bad father, but then things like this happen.  
> Please leave a comment/kudos if you liked this!


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